Portable ditch gate



9 H. A. SAUNDERS ETAL 2,654,225

PORTABLE DITCH GATE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 2. 1949 JNVENTORS Harold A. Sounders .8

BY Carmen V. Sounders WQ/fl @44 4 ATTORNEYS Oct. 6,195 H. A. SAUNDERS ETAL 2,654,225

PORTABLE DITCH GATE Filed May 2, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TORS Carmen V. Sounders Fla-4 2 fvzi flw ATTORNEYS Harold A. Sounders 8:

Patented Oct. 6, 1953 PORTABLE DITCH GATE Harold A. Saunders and Carmen V. Saunders,

Denver, Colo., assignorsto Midstate Manufacturing Company, Denver, Colo., a corporation of Colorado Application May 2, 1949, Serial No. 90,916

2 Claims. (01. 61-29) This invention relates to the control of flow of water in ditches and more particularly to a gate or dam therefor.

Oneof the objects of the invention is to produce an improved portable gate or dam for a ditch to thus permit control of the flow of water inthe ditch for any desired purposes as, for example, lateral irrigation.

Another object is to provide an improved portable gate or dam for a ditch which will be adjustable in an eas and convenient manner to vary the height of the water which is to be dammed up in a ditch.-

Still another object is to produce an improved sectional stick for usewith impervious sheet material which will be so constructed as to permit adjustable gate or dam height, yet can be folded either with or without a dam sheet into a compact structure for transporting or storage.

. Yet another object is to produce improved Other objects of our invention will become apparent fromthe following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 1

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ditch showingour improved portable ditch gate associated therewith to dam up and control the flow of water in the ditch for irrigation purposes;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1 showing how the sheet material attached to the dam stick is held in the ditch;

Figure 3 is a view of the central part of the portable gate with the two sections of the dam stick being swung toward each other for folding the gate in a compact structure;

Figure 4 is a view showing the position the parts assume when the gate is folded;

Figure 5 is a sectional view showing the hing connection between the two sections of the dam stick, said view being taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1; 7

Figures 6 and 7 are sectional views taken on the lines B-6 and 1-1, respectively, of Figure 3 showing the manner of connecting the adjust ing links to the sections and also the manner of securing the flexible sheet material to said sections; and

Figure 8 is a view showing the pin for hinging the 1inks together and connecting them to the adjusting post.

.Referringto the drawings in detail, there is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 the manner of use of our improved portable gate, indicated generally by the letter G. This gate has a frame structure F towhich is attached a canvas sheet C or other suitable fabric or flexible sheeting. The gate is placed across a ditch D to dam up water flowing therein and keep it at the desired height. The frame structure is placed across the ditch from bank to bank and the canvas sheet C is held against the banks and bottom of the ditch by rocks or dirt piled thereon. The dammed up water in the ditch can then be directed into small lateral ditches between rows of plants and there- 7 by accomplish eflicient irrigation. A manner of conducting water from the dammed-up water behind the gate can comprise syphon pipes Pas shown in Figure 1, thus not necessitating cutting of the ditch bank.

The frame F of the portable gate embodying our invention is shown in detail in the various views and comprises two elongated members or arms l0 and I I. These may be of varying length, depending on the width of ditch to be dammed. Each member is made of metal and isof channel form in cross section, that is, U-shaped. The inner ends of the two elongated members are arranged to be hinged together by a double hinge joint. To accomplish this, there are provided two short links l2 and I3. A-pivot pin M connects ends of these links to the member ID and a pivot pin l5 connects'the other ends of the links, to the member I I. By means of these connecting links it is seen the elongated members can be arranged to have various angular relations and also, because of the double hinge arrangement, the members can be folded so, they will be adjacent each other in substantially parallel arrange.-

formed with notches H in spaced relation, said notches. extending angularly upwardly into the body of the post from the post edge. A gripping handle 18 is provided at the top of the post. The post will be so related to the link [2 that a""line extending through the base portions of operation with the notches in the adjusting post as will be apparent, and the head 22 will keep the pin from slipping out of a notch. The-ontercnd of the adjusting link 19 is pivoted by a pin to a bracket member 24 secured, as by welding,

to one side of elongated member (ill. The outer] end of adjusting link 20' is pivoted by a pin 25" to a bracket member 25 secured, as by welding,

to the top of the elongated member N'.

The adjusting links [9 and 20 are of likelength. and their connections with the members In and ll are at points spaced from the hinge connection approximately their length. The adiusting links with the members will thenproduce'a parallelogram arrangement, and when the pin-Etis placedinvarious notches I? of the adjusting post, the angular relationship betweenthe adjusting links and the elongatedmembers can bevaried. This will'vary the angular relationship between the two' elongated membersfrom substantially 130 degrees to lesser angles. This will permit the central-part or the gate, when in use, to have its height varied with respect to the top 'ofth'e ditch banks and'thereby control theheight' of the-water which will bedammecf up.

The channel form of the elongated members permits the attachment of the canvas sheet 'C a of the gate-in a convenient manner. The canvas sheet has its upper marginal edge turned back and stitched to the sheet toprovide two tunnels 2!- and 2'8; Theinner ends of these tunnels are spaced apart sothat the top central edge of the canvas will be free of attachment to the gate frame. A square wooden stick. Z9- is plac'ed in the tunnel 21- and a like square wooden stick 30 is placed" in tunnel 2E. These sticks are ap rcxi= mately the lengths of the elongated members. 4

To attach the canvas t'o-th'e elongated member H) the stick '29,'after beingplaced in the-tunnel 21, will bepositioned'in thechannel' or saiemerm bet and held therein by" screws 3|, extend through holes in the top of the member; the screws aredrawn up, the'marginaf looped part of the canvas willibe' fii-mly clamped to th member. 'I'hestick- 30-15 similarly held hy'screws 32 in the channel'- or member H thereby clamp ing the canvas throughout tunnel-H to the said member. It is believed tobe apparent that the attaching means ibrthe canvas quick and easy removalof an old worn out-canvas and the repIacementbya new canvas.

With our improved portable gate, it is believed to hold the pill in a notch. The frame Ewillib selfpositioning, when. the gate is. operative, re: gardless of how slack. the canvas. is. held. inthe ditch',. due to the fact that the. frame can frocle onthe'ditch banks..- When. it is desired to trans from a notch and then the elongated members In and H will be free to be folded into parallel relation, as shown in Figure 4. The double hinge permits full folding to the parallel relation and allows for some space therebetween for the folding oi the adjusting links t9 and 20.. When the ,fi'aane is folded there "will be no; interference by the canvas due to the unattached section at the hinge. With the frame folded, the canvas can then be wrapped around the elongated members tamakeacompact arrangement permitting easy carrying on a persons shoulder or storage in a minimum: of space; The simple and efficient manner-"of attaching the canvas to the elongated members permits quick and easy renewal of a canvas. Although tunnels are shown in which tlre s'tiicirs are inserted, these are not necessary for holding as a marginal edge of a canvas can be firmly secured by the-clamping action involved without use of tunnels. The tunnels do, however, have the featureof causingtne to pun on-tne'centerune or the stick.

Being aware of the possibility of modifications in structure disclosed without departing'from the fundamental principles of our inventicn', we desire it to be understood that tnescope ofth' invention' i's not 'tohe limited except inthe manner set forth by the appended claims.

Whatis elaimedisz I. In aportable ditch gate; 'a structure fin pl'a'ci'ng across the ditch above the beam thereof and resting on the opposite tanks and for sup-'- porting a sheet of flexible material so that it can extend downwardly meanengagsable relation with the bottom of the ditch and thus es 'tablish the gate-and "re-r also adjusting the height of the s-heet,-' said structure comprising two rod like elongated members to which the sheet of material is to be connected, mearis'- carried by the elongated members for attaching a marginal portion of the sheet theretd means for hing ing ends of the members togetherrthe length of the members being such that when the membersext'end in oppositedii'ections'frcm the hinging means they can reston' the ditch banks, a post exteh'dmg from the hinge-connection so that it will extend upwardly when the-members rest onthe ditch bank and will be positioned adjacent the elongated members as they are swung toward each other, adjusting links; means for: 'piyotally" connecting; ends or; the links togetherin' a. ermanent rciauen, foi 'pltbt ally connecting the otherend of each link to a Tsepjarate' elongated member intermediate the ehd's'th'ere of, and means rcrconnecung-tneefiirs of thelinirs which" are ivotany connected to? gether' to the post at any of variously spaced from the end at the hinge means, said "links being of such length and said ends of the linkswhich are pivoted together being capable Td'f sucnmevemem-amr the ends of the elongated membersbeing so hinged together that the elonsated members can becaused to assume. sub stantially parallel relatibn when the ate to be stored or transported' and when in such rela-:

tion the pivotally connected end'swill'be in spaced relation. to the end of the post remote from the hinge means;

" 2. In a portable ditch gate, a structure tot placing across the ditch above the bottom thereof and resting on. the opposite. banks. and for slipporting a sheet' of flexible. material. so it can extendv downwardly into an engageable relation with the bottomof. theditch: and thus port'or storethegate, thepin ztcaniberemoved establish the gate nd f l o adjusting the height of the sheet, said structure comprising two rod-like elongated members to which the sheet of material is to be connected, means carried by the elongated members for attaching a marginal portion of the sheet thereto, means for hinging ends of the members together including spaced pivot points, the length of the members being such that when the members extend in opposite directions from the hinging means they can rest on the ditch banks, a post extending from the hinge connection so that it will extend upwardly when the members rest on the ditch bank and will be positioned adjacent the elongated members as they are swung toward each other and toward the post, adjusting links, said post being of a length substantially less than either elongated member and said links being of lengths substantially the distance from a hinge pivot to the point of pivotal connection with an elongated member, means for pivotally 20 1,057,354

connecting ends of the links together in a permanent relation, means for pivotally connecting the other end of each link to a separate elongated member intermediate the ends thereof, and means for connecting the ends of the links which are pivotally connected together to the post at any of variously spaced points from the end at the hinge, said last named means including longitudinally spaced notches on the post and projecting means at the ends of the links which are connected together for reception in a selected notch.

HAROLD A. SAUNDERS. CARMEN V. SAUNDERS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 836,278 Ross NOV. 20, 1906 McIlwain Mar. 25, 1913 1,161,865 Jones et al. Nov. 30, 1915 1,172,423 Bogard Feb. 22, 1916 

